Nissan Primera 1998 problems

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Sun 18 Sep 2005 00:26
Nissan Primera 1998 problems - cbt
My 1998 2.0 petrol automatic Nissan Primera had been good as gold from when I bought it last april on 26k miles to this summer. It now has 56k miles. Recently, though It has had a real problems which a host of franchises, independent and specialist garages have been unable to locate. Basically the car pulls to the left under normal driving. At motorway speeds, the steering goes dangerously light, and the car veers both left and right. On country roads, the car is an absolute nightmare.

I have dunlop 200e tyres fitted, all new in the last year. Balancing, tracking, tyre pressures have been checked. No cv joint or ball joint issues can be found. Noone can see a problem with suspension.

To add to all this the car has intermittently been making strange noises, usually after a couple of tight corners. There is a noise from the front right (I think) wheel, not unlike the noise your exhaust would make if it was dragging on the floor, which of course it isn't!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE can anyone help! The car used to be beautiful to drive, but none of the six garages it has been to can find the problem, and only two of them said the car definitely had a problem. I don't want to have to part-ex it, but that may be my only option! Any advice hugely appreciated!

Chris.
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Sun 18 Sep 2005 00:36
Nissan Primera 1998 problems - Civic8
Actually sounds tyre related,are these the same tyres fitted before or different?,also was the tracking checked/corrected
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Steve
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Sun 18 Sep 2005 01:10
Nissan Primera 1998 problems - cbt
Thanks for the reply.

The tracking has been checked by a few places who all say it is perfect. One tyre on the car is not actually a 200e (energy), but just a 200. I have tried this tyre on each corner, and it makes no difference whatsoever. I had the same model of tyre on the car when I bought it, and have had all tyres replaced over the last year. I thought it was tyre related at first, but everywhere I have taken it has said not. Annoying, eh?!
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Sun 18 Sep 2005 01:22
Nissan Primera 1998 problems - Gazza
It could be a faulty power steering rack. In Car Mechanics Mag ages ago, there was a Rover 416 with a dangerously light steering and turned out to be a internal fault in the power steering rack.
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Sun 18 Sep 2005 09:53
Nissan Primera 1998 problems - cbt
Thanks for the suggestion. I guess if I can go to a garage and get them to look at a specific problem, I might get some luck. Do you know if something like the steering rack would be easy to find a problem with?
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Mon 19 Sep 2005 00:46
Nissan Primera 1998 problems - Aprilia
I reckon this is a problem with the power steering. It could be either too much pressure from the pump (relief valve stuck) or a fault in the rack valving. Can't say without the opportunity to inspect. Get someone local to look at it.
Reconditioned racks cost less than £100. If you need a pump you should be able to get yours reconditioned or one from a breakers for a modest price.
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